The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service has announced a proposed framework to accomplish this need and are asking the public to comment on the plan for fishing in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.
A comprehensive survey of Arctic sea ice shows that shows there has been dramatic thinning between the years of 2004 to 2008. The once dominant and thicker multi-year ice is being supplanted by thinner seasonal ice.
In this report to the public, the Trustees detail the status of restoration work, ongoing research efforts, strategies for wildlife habitat protection, and the effect of the spill on people. This report is unique because the Council has made an effort to discuss the impacts of the spill on people linked to the region, and improvements made in oil spill prevention and response technology since the spill.
The Arctic is experiencing some of the world’s most dramatic and rapidly evolving effects from climate change. Increasing air and ocean temperatures, thawing permafrost, loss of sea ice, and shifts in ecosystems are evidence of widespread and dramatic ongoing change. Critical environmental, economic, and national security issues are emerging that affect lives and livelihoods in coastal communities and inland areas across the region. NOAA’s diverse capabilities to address these emerging issues are the backbone of the strategy.
Living in the North has its benefits and for the most part it’s a healthy place to live. One unique health factor is our overwhelming consumption of seafood, enjoying the highest per capita consumption of fish and shellfish of any state in the union. Seafood provides incredible nutritional value, with its high protein content, heart [...]
Alaska being part of the circumpolar north experiences displays of northern lights or Aurora Borealis frequently in the winter months. These natural light shows can stretch from horizon to horizon and display remarkable variations in their color and intensity. Aurora viewing is popular with Alaska residents and visitors alike. Being able to witness the northern [...]
There is still much to learn about the interaction of organisms found in high latitude ecosystems. Rising temperatures in the north may not automatically equate to a positive feedback to the soil carbon feedback cycle.
The Alaska Legislature established the Alaska Earthquake Information Center (AEIC) by statute in 1986. Home of the second greatest earthquake recorded in 1964 and the most seismically active state in the Union, Alaska has a selfish interest in monitoring earthquake activity within the state.
